Claire "OC" Berry

Claire “OC” (Ouellette) Berry, 101, of Methuen, MA, died peacefully at Nevins Nursing and Rehab Center on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Born in Lawrence, MA, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Marie (Bergeron) Ouellette.

A newborn in the Pandemic of 1918, Claire left high school at fourteen to work at the Ayer Mill to help support her widowed mother and two younger brothers. Claire later went to night school along with her then-boyfriend and later-husband, David and together they earned their GED at Lawrence High School.

Claire retired from Western Electric and enjoyed many years of happy retirement with her beloved husband. They spent their winters in Florida for a time and spent six months at their happiest place on earth, Salisbury Beach. Together they walked every day and even inspired others who saw them walking. They were known as “The Lovebirds” of Salisbury Beach. She was a member of Methuen Senior Center and enjoyed many activities including shuffle board and bowling. Her most prized possession was her family. She gave and gave making her the most generous person on the face of earth. Even her years spent at Nevins if someone brought her treats she would always share with her friends and the nursing staff.

She is a two-time cancer survivor and no matter what tragedies came her way she never complained. A trait that was passed on from her mother and siblings. In the words of her late husband, “Claire was blessed with a hearty laugh and people would call her on the phone just to hear her laugh. Everything she did was from her heart and she was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.”

The family would like to thank the staff at Nevins for taking such good care of her and truly loving her. A special thank you goes out to Julie and Kristen.

Claire was predeceased by her loving husband of sixty-eight years, David W. Berry; and her ten siblings and their spouses.

She is survived by her daughter, Jo-Ann Keisling and her husband, Steve of Newburyport, MA; her granddaughters, Kristen Tarsia and her husband, Brian, and Lyndsey Haseltine and her husband, George; grandsons, Steve Keisling and his wife, Mary, and James Keisling and his wife, Kristina; and seven great- grandchildren, Ashley, Matthew, Graeme, Lyla, Silas, Tuesday, and Joseph.

Due to the current COVID-19 situation all services will be held in private with the assistance of Cataudella Funeral Home in Methuen. In lieu of flowers, donations in Claire’s memory may be made to Nevins Resident Activities account, 10 Ingalls Court, Methuen, MA 01844.